Mowing my own lawn.

[Bernaldio]

Will be moving to the Villages in April....do many people mow their own yards?

[birdawg]

I do, instead of walking or riding the bike that day I cut the lawn. And with the money we save we go out to dinner.

[fred53]

I do...and will continue to do so until I can not. I have a self drive honda mower. Works great and with the $65/mo. they wanted for mowing a corner lot it paid for itself in no time. Takes about a 1/4 ga. per mow.

[Bernaldio]

Will I need to have a mulching mower or will I be bagging?

[photo1902]

Will be moving to the Villages in April....do many people mow their own yards?

There was another thread on this forum. You will hear from both sides, those that do it themselves and those who have a lawn company take care of it. I sold my mower, string trimmer and blower shortly after moving here. We have a relatively good sized lot, and when I retired here, I retired from cutting the grass as well. Its nice to not have to worry about it, and our crew (MiCo) does a fantastic job, including edging and weeding. To me its well worth the $70 a month (they come weekly, year round). They have never not shown up, and I could not be happier. To each their own, but I prefer not to have to store the mower, blower, edger, etc.

[Bernaldio]

Do I need a mulching mower.....ro do I need to bag?

[Bernaldio]

that makes sense to me.

[Uberschaf]

Most mowers bag and mulch.Sometimes I bag,sometimes I mulch.Depends on tee time.

[2BNTV]

I am in the camp of letting someone else do the mowing.

For what I have been just quoted with trimming the bushes and weeding, I would not bother but that's me. :smiley:

[capecoralbill]

Might depend on the size of your garage, i have a two car garage here, but no where near the size of my two car garage up north. If you're building you might want to enlarge the garage.

[tuccillo]

Mulching is fine.


Will I need to have a mulching mower or will I be bagging?

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I love mowing my lawn. I get some exercise and to me it's very relaxing. I was told that with most southern grasses there is no need to mulch or bag. Just leave the clippings and they will turn to mulch on their own.

On golf courses the only place that the clippings are removed is on the greens and that is so the players are not putting through clippings.

I also trim and edge once a week from mid March through November and about once a month the rest of the year.

I also like to do my own chemicals. Scott's has a very simple plan to follow.

[Allegiance]

I love mowing my lawn. I get some exercise and to me it's very relaxing. I was told that with most southern grasses there is no need to mulch or bag. Just leave the clippings and they will turn to mulch on their own.

On golf courses the only place that the clippings are removed is on the greens and that is so the players are not putting through clippings.

I also trim and edge once a week from mid March through November and about once a month the rest of the year.

I also like to do my own chemicals. Scott's has a very simple plan to follow.
Since you love it, I am willing to let you cut mine. I would love watching you work.

[HoosierPa]

Not Me ! I see people out mowing in the middle of summer sweating their A-- off. To me, it is worth $45 per month for someone to mow my corner Villa lot. No trips for gas, no need to store everything in my small garage...edger, blower, gas, trimmer line, oil, lawn mower, etc. To me it makes sense to do my own lawn fertilizer and insect control inside and out. With a hand spreader, it takes about 10 minutes per month max. and I can save about $65 per month between the insect control and fertilizer with a contractor.

[genobambino]

I do my own yard, I have a Craftsman self propelled, takes me all of 10 min. You don't have to mow year around which the companies charge you for. In the winter I only mow once a month.

[Jima64]

Not Me ! I see people out mowing in the middle of summer sweating their A-- off. To me, it is worth $45 per month for someone to mow my corner Villa lot. No trips for gas, no need to store everything in my small garage...edger, blower, gas, trimmer line, oil, lawn mower, etc. To me it makes sense to do my own lawn fertilizer and insect control inside and out. With a hand spreader, it takes about 10 minutes per month max. and I can save about $65 per month between the insect control and fertilizer with a contractor.

I agree with you about the lawn and pest control. You are also much more responsive when you see problems starting and can treat right a way and not wait for the lawn company runaround.

[JoMar]

:agree:I am in the camp of letting someone else do the mowing.

For what I have been just quoted with trimming the bushes and weeding, I would not bother but that's me. :smiley:

:agree::agree:

[JerryLBell]

I've got one last season of leaf-raking and possible snow-shoveling before I retire and am NOT going to miss either of those. However, I do think I'll miss mowing the lawn. I'm currently paying someone to mow the lawn on my house in The Villages (which I'm renting out) and that kind of goes against my grain. For the yearly price of that, I think I could buy a decent battery-powered mower and weed-whacker combo. I could bring down my current gas mower and whacker but I'd like to give up the noise and smell for a battery set. Of course, once I get there, I might well find that giving any up my precious fun time might be just too much to do and could end up continuing to pay a service. Only time will tell!

[kcrazorbackfan]

I mow my own and I bag the grass; the "experts" say that the thatch buildup from the zoysia can cause a fungus.

[jimmemac]

I now trim, mow, weedwack and fertilize. I have a simple designer lot and takes about a half hour to do my job so no big deal!!

[folkh]

Will be moving to the Villages in April....do many people mow their own yards?

I pay $45 a month to have my grass cut!! I don't cut my own I'd rather go fo a walk for exercise!!

[justjim]

Been in TV about 10 years and I want no part of mowing, trim, weeding the yard. It's too hot and humid 8 months out of the year to mow for 40.00 month. The other issue is storing all that stuff in the garage. I see a lot of guys giving it up after one or two years. But to each his own. My guess is 20% (max) do their own yards.

[Sable99]

Been in TV about 10 years and I want no part of mowing, trim, weeding the yard. It's too hot and humid 8 months out of the year to mow for 40.00 month. The other issue is storing all that stuff in the garage. I see a lot of guys giving it up after one or two years. But to each his own. My guess is 20% (max) do their own yards.

I'd like to know who mows, trims and weeds your yard for $40 a month?

[photo1902]

I'd like to know who mows, trims and weeds your yard for $40 a month?

Depending on the size of the lawn, lots of companies!

[Nucky]

Depending on the size of the lawn, lots of companies!

Another savings. $40 a month is a winner! Let's see that's another $60 in saving's plus saving $8000 on taxes, $1000 on car insurance, $4000 on heating oil. Yup I'm Nutty Nucky for bailing out of Jorsey. :a040:

[graciegirl]

I'd like to know who mows, trims and weeds your yard for $40 a month?

A LOT of people. You need to get three quotes. Someone on this forum advertises $45 a month for any home in The Villages. We started out nine years ago with $35. It is for cutting and edging only however and year' round, that is only fair..

[Bosoxfan]

The $45 a month or so is only one of the reasons I cut my own lawn.Another reason is I can determine how often or how short to cut my lawn.I don't know why anyone would want their grass cut weekly !! Especially in the dormant season.I know you feel you pay for it so it should be done but it's not necessary and could be harmful to your lawns health. Last but not least I don't have anyone else's problems being transferred to my lawn on the blades of a mower that just cut their yards.

[dotti105]

We live on a street with 21 homes. Until recent, my hubby and Bosoxfan have been doing it themselves and now after dealing with several of "the best" local lawn companies, we now have 5 other homeowners who cut their own grass.

Guess whose yards look better? Also it's good exercise and I think they actually enjoy it.

My hubby has electric 40 volt "greenworks" mower, edger, trimmer etc. They don't take up that much space and hubby is happy to spend the time to getting a bit of exercise.

[jchase]

I mow my own lawn and I have always bagged it. I mow it the highest it will go. I have the best looking lawn in my neighborhood.

[cmj1210]

Another savings. $40 a month is a winner! Let's see that's another $60 in saving's plus saving $8000 on taxes, $1000 on car insurance, $4000 on heating oil. Yup I'm Nutty Nucky for bailing out of Jorsey. :a040:



[emoji1303]


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[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I love mowing my lawn. I do not bag as I was told not to. I bought a Toro Recycler four years ago and it still runs great and starts on the first pull every time.

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii564/Winston1027/IMG_3561_zpsarehb0df.jpg (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/Winston1027/media/IMG_3561_zpsarehb0df.jpg.html)

I also put down Scott's weed and feed and other Scott's products and a regular basis.

[autumnspring]

I've got one last season of leaf-raking and possible snow-shoveling before I retire and am NOT going to miss either of those. However, I do think I'll miss mowing the lawn. I'm currently paying someone to mow the lawn on my house in The Villages (which I'm renting out) and that kind of goes against my grain. For the yearly price of that, I think I could buy a decent battery-powered mower and weed-whacker combo. I could bring down my current gas mower and whacker but I'd like to give up the noise and smell for a battery set. Of course, once I get there, I might well find that giving any up my precious fun time might be just too much to do and could end up continuing to pay a service. Only time will tell!

I do the chemicals-fert and occasional insect control. We have a 5,000 sq foot lawn-IT IS NO BIG DEAL-once you figure out what to do when.
We too are former northerners. I've attended several of the cooperative extension talks about lawn care etc. Best quote from one of the speakers was if you are from the north forget everything you thought you knew. The southern grasses are completely different. You have either empire zoysia or St Augustine. You had a six month growing season and here it is ten months.
RE: MOWER
Like anything else there will be many different opinions.
You garage or tool shed will not be temperature controlled.
Right now I will guess my garage is over 100. Batteries are quickly destroyed at that heat and they are expensive to replace. For a gas engine. If you have an older mower like a briggs and stratton side valve, the entire lubrication of the engine is a simple spoon to splash the oil. On a hill such as we all have between houses the lubrication is at best marginal. The newer engines on better mowers will have a pressure lube system similar to an automobile.

[Jima64]

We live on a street with 21 homes. Until recent, my hubby and Bosoxfan have been doing it themselves and now after dealing with several of "the best" local lawn companies, we now have 5 other homeowners who cut their own grass.

Guess whose yards look better? Also it's good exercise and I think they actually enjoy it.

My hubby has electric 40 volt "greenworks" mower, edger, trimmer etc. They don't take up that much space and hubby is happy to spend the time to getting a bit of exercise.

I too take care of our yard. I never let it become such a chore that I resent doing it. Trimming the shrubs, edgin or mowing I learned to do it at my own pace, drink lots of water and relax.

[biker1]

This is nonsense. Unless you are spending significant amounts of time at an extreme angle, and then the pickup for pump based lubrication system may be out of the oil, it doesn't matter.

I do the chemicals-fert and occasional insect control. We have a 5,000 sq foot lawn-IT IS NO BIG DEAL-once you figure out what to do when.
We too are former northerners. I've attended several of the cooperative extension talks about lawn care etc. Best quote from one of the speakers was if you are from the north forget everything you thought you knew. The southern grasses are completely different. You have either empire zoysia or St Augustine. You had a six month growing season and here it is ten months.
RE: MOWER
Like anything else there will be many different opinions.
You garage or tool shed will not be temperature controlled.
Right now I will guess my garage is over 100. Batteries are quickly destroyed at that heat and they are expensive to replace. For a gas engine. If you have an older mower like a briggs and stratton side valve, the entire lubrication of the engine is a simple spoon to splash the oil. On a hill such as we all have between houses the lubrication is at best marginal. The newer engines on better mowers will have a pressure lube system similar to an automobile.

[cookestwo]

Will be moving to the Villages in April....do many people mow their own yards?
I've lived in The Villages for 16 years and less than 5% of the residents mow their own lawns. For about $55 per month you can hire any one of dozens of reputable lawn service folks.

[Polar Bear]

I've lived in The Villages for 16 years and less than 5% of the residents mow their own lawns. For about $55 per month you can hire any one of dozens of reputable lawn service folks.
I have no idea if your number is accurate for all of TV, but it's not even close on my street. I and most of my immediate neighbors do our own lawns. Has little to do with cost, at least for me.

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[Two Bills]

We ripped out our lawn, covered the yard in gravel, and treated with Agent Orange.
Never had to touch it since, and we can sit and watch the five legged racoons play in the evenings!

[Happydaz]

I mow my own lawn. The people you hire don't clean their mowers between yards and this can be a source of weeds, insects, and fungal diseases that will affect your own lawn. They also may not sharpen their mower blades that often. Dull blades shred the grass instead of cutting it cleanly and this can allow the entrance of disease organisms. The lawn crews mow lawns at whatever length they choose rather than following University of Florida/IFAS recommendations. For example, zoysia should be mowed at 2 to 2.5 inches. The blades should be sharpened, if you do your own lawn, two to three times a season. I mulch my grass most of the time except early in the year when I scalp the lawn to remove some of the dead grass.

I love mowing my own lawn. I also do all my own yard work. Keeps me in great shape and I don't need to go to a gym.It looks like a green carpet and sets off all my planting beds very nicely. Obviously it is one of my hobbies!

[kstew43]

Mulching is fine.

thats what I say also. as long as i mow before it gets too high mulching works fine. But when you let it get to high then mulching doesn't work and bogs down on the turn....but I never bag.....much to much work.....I just blow the piles around until there gone.....the lazy way....

we spent the extra to get the self propelled motor. I just start it up, aim and hold on...it does the rest.

great exercise.....and like he said.....use the cash for other things....

[bbbbbb]

There was another thread on this forum. You will hear from both sides, those that do it themselves and those who have a lawn company take care of it. I sold my mower, string trimmer and blower shortly after moving here. We have a relatively good sized lot, and when I retired here, I retired from cutting the grass as well. Its nice to not have to worry about it, and our crew (MiCo) does a fantastic job, including edging and weeding. To me its well worth the $70 a month (they come weekly, year round). They have never not shown up, and I could not be happier. To each their own, but I prefer not to have to store the mower, blower, edger, etc.

Hi do you have a phone number for MiCo if so email it to us. pnb900@msn.com THANK YOU,

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Since you love it, I am willing to let you cut mine. I would love watching you work.

You obviously didn't read my post carefully enough. I said, "I enjoy mowing MY lawn.

[autumnspring]

This is nonsense. Unless you are spending significant amounts of time at an extreme angle, and then the pickup for pump based lubrication system may be out of the oil, it doesn't matter.

You may know motorcycles but, THERE IS NO PICKUP for the oil pump on older lawn mowers as THERE IS NO OIL PUMP.
As I said it is nothing more than a spoon to splash oil.

LOOK UP A PARTS DIAGRAM.